


first dates always go wrong (until they don't)

by avatays



Series: Zukka Single Dads AU [2]
Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra, Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Bisexual Sokka (Avatar), CW: talks about death and disease, Fluff, Gay Zuko (Avatar), M/M, Past Jet/Zuko (Avatar), Past Sokka/Yue (Avatar), Single Dads AU, Single Parents, Some Humor, Some angst, Zuko (Avatar) is a Good Parent, like a lot of fluff, senna is sokka's daughter, so is sokka but that isn't a tag (yet), varrick is sokka's son
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-21
Updated: 2020-11-21
Packaged: 2021-03-09 23:20:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,948
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27654017
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/avatays/pseuds/avatays
Summary: It's been a week since Sokka asked Zuko out, and he’s struggling to come up with a first date idea good enough for Zuko. He panics because he doesn't know what activities Zuko likes, Zuko panics because Sokka won't tell him what they're doing and he hates surprises. (It's a surprise for Sokka too since he still has no clue what he’s going to do.)Luckily, even though the four-year-old Senna is a certifiable meddler, she's also possibly a genius, just like her older brother. And when she has a good idea for a date, she reallydoeshave a good idea.
Relationships: Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Series: Zukka Single Dads AU [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2020577
Comments: 18
Kudos: 221





	first dates always go wrong (until they don't)

**Author's Note:**

> CONTENT WARNING: discussions of death, cancer, and spousal/parental loss. This chapter is heavy on Senna and Sokka in the first half so that's where most of the angst listed above takes place. I don't want to shock anyone if these are sensitive topics, so we're staying on the safe side.  
> anyways, i really liked writing the first installment of the Single Dads AU and the response i got when i asked if anyone would want more in this 'verse was overwhelmingly positive, so i decided to continue with the self-indulgence just a bit longer.  
> this series will probably just be a bunch of one-shots or two-shots that connect, not a bunch of multi-chaptered fics.  
> thanks so much for reading, I hope you guys enjoy it, and let me know your thoughts in the comments if you feel so inclined!!  
> -tay

Zuko was rummaging through his closet, outfits laid out carelessly on his bed and strewn about the floor. He heard the front door open, and figured it was just Izumi, so he didn’t leave his room. 

“So,” an indifferent voice began. “Izumi was right, you are panicking.”

Zuko’s head whirled around to see Mai leaned against the door frame, examining the damage he had done to his room. She picked up one well-worn graphic t-shirt and looked at it as though it personally offended her. “God, Zu, seriously? Don’t tell me you’re thinking about wearing this, you’ve had it since college — it’s literally older than our child.”

Zuko rolled his eyes. “So nice of you to stop by. Did you bring Izumi or are you just here to make fun of me?”

“I can do two things,” Mai said with a shrug. “Ty Lee and Izumi are at the mall right now, they’re heading over after they finish up. I came to try and help you so you don’t ruin the date before it begins.”

“Hey!” Zuko squawked out, hands on his hips. “I don’t... hey!”

Mai smiled smugly. “You haven’t been on a first date since you first got together with Jet which was — what, three years ago?” 

“Four,” Zuko grumbled. He plopped down in the pile of clothes by his feet and rubbed his hands over his face. “I’m so bad at this, I don’t know how to do first dates anymore.”

“What do you mean ‘anymore?’” Mai deadpanned. 

“Thanks so much for stopping by!” Zuko sassed with a glare.

“I’m kidding — well, I’m not, but it wasn’t necessarily an insult, just a fact. Now stop being stupid and let me help you. What’s the occasion?”

“That’s the thing! He hasn’t told me what he’s planning, he says it’s going to be a surprise! How can I _possibly_ dress for that?!” Zuko shouted. 

Mai scoffed. “You’re so dramatic.” She went over to the bed, and looked at it for a moment. She threw some articles of clothing at him, and one hit him in the face. 

“What was that for?” He demanded. 

“It’s your outfit for the date, dumbass,” she said with a sigh. “He would have told you if it was a fancy event, so we don’t need to lean too heavily into that. You’re wearing black jeans and a tee, bring along a flannel and a blazer. If he takes you out to dinner, wear the blazer, if he takes you out to some casual event, wear the flannel.”

“Mai —” he scrambled to his feet to pull her into a hug. “You’re a lifesaver.”

“I know.”

Zuko looked at the chosen items. “Should... is there anything else I should bring, do you think?”

“Jesus, Zuko, you want me to pick out your socks and underwear too? I did all the legwork, just find a pair of versatile shoes.”

“Right, okay!” He paused. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. I’m sure it’ll be fine, just don’t freak out about it too much. I’m sure he’s just as nervous as you are.”

Zuko scoffed. “Doubt it. I just hope this surprise is worth it.”

\---

There was a frantic knocking at her door. Suki checked the time, then sighed. She opened the door. There was really only one possible person it could be.

Sokka stood at the door, panting, like he had run from the house over to the guesthouse in a panic. 

“I’m freaking out,” he gasped out.

Suki sighed. “Of course you are.” She held the door open for him. 

Sokka planted himself on her couch and gasped for air. “I have no idea what to do for my date with Zuko. I said I’d plan it, and today he asked what we were going to do and I just... I’ve got nothing! I lied and said it was a surprise!”

Suki snorted. “Oh, that’s funny.”

“No, it isn’t! Our date is in _two days,_ Suki! I’ve had five days to plan this and I haven’t come up with shit — I haven’t had to plan a date in three years, I don’t remember what I used to do to brainstorm.”

“The things you came up with for you and Yue were always really fun and creative,” Suki told him. “Why can’t you think of anything now?”

“I was friends with Yue for five years before I finally asked her out, I already knew what she liked and what activities she would want to do. I don’t _know_ Zuko like that yet. I don’t want to read him wrong and take him on an awful date.”

“Well, what _do_ you know about Zuko?”

“Uh — ”

“Besides the fact that he’s Varrick’s teacher,” Suki said, cutting him off. 

Sokka closed his mouth. He thought for a second, then said, “His daughter is eleven, and she’s an only child. Zuko told me when he teaches the kids he likes doing English the most, and that he directs the spring productions at the High School — I think he was probably a theatre kid himself, but I don’t think taking him to a play or musical would be a good first date.”

“Okay, anything else? Think about what he would like based on his personality.”

“I think... He‘d like something more intimate, so we can talk without being interrupted or overheard the whole time. That happened a lot at Aang and Katara’s place, so I think it’d be good for us to be able to just talk for awhile.”

Suki smiled. “See? You know him better than you thought.”

“Yeah... I guess I do. Thanks, Suki.”

“Anytime. Now, go back to brainstorming, I’ve got apartment hunting to do.”

“So quick to try to get away from me — ”

“You’re the one who said you were ready to do this on your own,” Suki reminded him.

“I know that,” Sokka said with a pout. “But that doesn’t mean I don’t _want_ you to stay. I don’t know where your next big adventure will take you. What if it’s far away?”

“Sokka... Are you _sure_ that you don’t want me to stay?”

“No, I feel like I’ve been holding you back enough. When you heard Yue was sick, you put your own life on pause to come live with us and help me with the kids. It’s been four years. You deserve to be able to move on, I know you’re ready to,” Sokka said, taking her by the hand to sit her down on the couch beside him. 

Suki smiled at him weakly. “Yeah. But no matter where I go, I’m only a phone call away. For you and the kids.” 

“I know you will be.”

Suki pulled him closer and hugged him. “You’re going to be fine. I’m thinking that I’ll leave once Senna starts pre-school in the fall. Gives me a good five months to look for a place, figure out my next move. You aren’t getting rid of me just yet.”

“Good. Can’t give Senna abandonment issues so early on by just up and leaving.”

“Yeah, it’s Senna that would be most upset about me leaving, of course.”

Sokka gave her a sly smile. “So, I guess I should try to plan this date now.”

“Yeah, I guess you should.”

\---

Sokka was sitting on his bed with his computer in his lap, typing away. The sole lamp on his bedside table illuminated his face, the only sound was the clicking of keys and soft music — Yue always did say he worked better when he had white noise in the background. 

He heard small footsteps, and a knock on the door. Before he could answer, it opened, and Senna stood there, holding onto the door knob. She was wearing her favorite footie pajamas with a celestial pattern on them, and she was dragging her white blanket behind her. 

“Princess, what are you still doing up?” Sokka asked, rubbing his eyes. He looked at the time — eleven at night. Far past when Senna should be asleep. 

“I had a bad dream,” she whispered, and her bottom lip wobbled. 

“Oh.” He closed the laptop and put it to the side. He patted the bed, and she clamored on top to snuggle into his side. “Do you wanna talk about it?”

“It was just... it made me sad,” she said softly. “It was like I was at Mommy’s funeral, but I don’t remember it. And she was asleep. I know her from pictures and stuff, but...”

“I know, sweetie,” he whispered, kissing the top of her head and pulling her closer. “You deserved so much more time with her.”

Senna nodded, holding her blankie tightly. “How did... why isn’t Mommy with us anymore?”

Sokka froze. “That’s a hard question... so you know how people can get sick, right?”

“Yeah, you always stay home and make me soup,” Senna said, smiling up at him. 

“That’s right, kiddo. It happens all the time; people get sick, but then they get better, and they get to go back to school or work the next day or two. But sometimes... sometimes people don’t get better. Sometimes they get sick, but it lasts a long time, and it hurts a lot.”

“Was Mommy really sick?” 

Sokka smoothed her hair down. “Yeah. We found out when she was still pregnant with you.”

“That... that’s when I was in Mommy’s tummy, right?”

“Yeah, it was,” Sokka replied. “For our first doctor’s appointment to check on you after we found out you were in there, and the doctor said that there was something wrong in the bloodwork she had given last time we were there; they did some more tests, and they found out she had cancer — do you know what that is?”

“No, but I heard Aunt ‘Tara say it once. She didn’t want to talk about it when I asked.”

“Your mom found out she had leukemia, a type of cancer in the blood. Cancer can be scary, because it’s a sickness where not everyone gets better. There’s no cough syrup that can help make them better like we can do with a cold. It’s a hard and long process to try and fight it off — in the end, sometimes it still doesn’t work.”

“Oh,” Senna whispered. “So the medicine didn’t work?”

“No, it didn’t. The doctors did all they could, but sometimes these things happen. She was so strong for so long. Nothing lasts forever though, and it got very... painful, for all of us, towards the end.”

“Is that why you don’t show me a lot of pictures of her when I was a baby?”

Sokka flinched, but hid it the best he could. “Your mother looked a lot different the more treatments she got. She knew that she was at the end of the road, and I’ve got so many pictures of you and Varrick with her during her last year, but... I always show the ones right after you were born. Until you were about five months old, she looked the same, but then she started to look different. She was still the most beautiful woman in the world, but she told me that she didn’t want your first memories of her to be her when she... wasn’t her truest self. So she told me to make sure when you see her, it’s how I always saw her, how she saw herself.”

“Do you think I can see some pictures now?” Senna asked. 

“I’ll do you one better,” Sokka said, pulling his laptop to rest on his thighs as he went into his folders, looking through some videos. He clicked on a folder titled _Senna — Newborn to 6 Mo._

He clicked on the first video in the folder, and the video started, showing a hospital room. The timestamp in the corner read _03/20/2016._ The camera showed a young Varrick on a hospital bed, snuggled against a woman with platinum blonde hair who laid there, holding a baby. Senna gasped and looked closer, holding onto her dad’s arm. 

“That’s me?” she asked.

“Yep. That’s you and Mom. And Varrick’s there too — he was so excited to finally meet his little sister, he was the age you are right now when you were born.”

“She’s so pretty,” Senna said softly, her eyes locked on the screen. The camera zoomed in on Yue’s face poorly, and she looked at the camera and laughed. 

_“I can tell you’re way too closer, Sokka,”_ she teased. _“You always get the same goofy look on your face when you do it.”_

The camera zoomed out and out of view, Sokka’s voice was heard, _“You expect me not to get in close when you’re looking so good over there?”_

Yue scoffed. _“Please, I’m a mess.”_

_“Still cute though.”_

_“You’re ridiculous. Now get over here, she’s waking up again.”_

The camera got closer and footsteps were heard, before Sokka stopped right beside the bed. The young Varrick waved at the camera with a smile, looking tired but happy to be next to his mom. The camera zoomed in on the infant in Yue’s arms. A head of dark brown hair was visible and her eyes were closed, although she was wiggling around like she was trying to wake up. 

The baby Senna opened her eyes, and blinked a bit. Her blue eyes looked around, before her gaze seemed to zero in on the camera. 

Sokka’s hand reached from behind the camera into frame, and touched his daughter’s cheek as he cooed quietly, _“Hi, there. Hi, Senna. We’re so glad you’re here.”_

The baby Senna wiggled around, reaching her arms out, before she latched onto his pinky with one chubby hand, holding it closer to her. 

Yue’s light voice came from just off camera, _“Do you want to switch?”_ The camera zoomed out to show Yue and Varrick again. _“I can take some video of you and Senna if you want.”_

_“I can take the video!”_ The young Varrick said. 

Yue made a face and looked at the camera, shaking her head almost imperceptibly as if to tell Sokka not to let him hold it. Sokka’s laugh echoed from behind the camera.

A door off-screen opened and closed, and a voice was heard talking to Yue, the most audible phrase being _“we need to discuss starting your treatments, I have a doctor recommendation for you, but we should start as soon as — ”_

The camera shut off, and the task bar on the laptop showed up again. Senna smiled up at her dad. “Wow. Do we have any more?”

“Of course we do, I’ve got so many hours of footage, you wouldn’t believe it — tell you what, Princess, how about in a few days or so, you, your brother and I all watch some of the videos of you guys and your mom.”

“Yeah!” After a moment of silence, Senna’s mouth quirked like she was thinking about something. “Hey Dad?”

“Hey what?” He asked, closing the laptop and putting it to the side. 

“Do you still miss Mommy?”

Sokka paused. “Of course I do. I miss her every day, and I will miss her for every day after today too. I’ll never stop missing her or loving her but... just... just know that if I ever bring someone around here, that I’ll still love your mom. If I ever fall in love with someone else, it doesn’t mean I stopped loving her.”

Senna nodded. “That makes sense. Besides, I never see you kiss anyone like Uncle Aang and Aunt ‘Tara do. They said it’s what people do if they’re in love sometimes, but I never see you do it.”

“Well, I’m not in love with anyone else right now,” Sokka said teasingly. 

“But if you did, then would you kiss them?”

“Well, yeah, probably.”

“Yuck.”

Sokka laughed. “You _just_ asked!”

“It’s icky, but I guess it’s okay if you like-like somebody.”

“I’m glad we’re on the same page then. Now, do you wanna sleep in here or go back to your room?”

“Here, please.”

Sokka pulled the covers down and Senna climbed underneath them on Yue’s side of the bed. Sokka turned off the lights and tucked Senna in a bit tighter saying, “Let’s get you to sleep.”

“Okay,” Senna replied softly. She pulled her blankie closer and just as Sokka closed his eyes, she sang, “I think you like-like Zuko.”

Sokka sighed, turning the light back on. “Who told you that?”

“Varrick. He said that you haven’t like-liked anyone since Mom, so we have to be extra nice to Zuko.”

“Varrick is a little terror to Zuko, you should know he isn’t leading by example.”

“I like Zuko. He’s nice to me. He gave me his necklace because I thought it was pretty.”

“He wanted it _back,_ you stole it technically.”

“Mm, okay. But if he forgets it again next time I see him, that means it’s mine, no takesies-backsies.”

“Well, those are the rules of takesies-backsies,” Sokka said. 

Senna giggled and pushed some of her hair out of her face. “What are you gonna do? You could take him to the zoo.”

“I suspect you’re only saying that because _you_ want to go to the zoo, and you’re hoping we’ll take you with us,” Sokka mused. 

“Maaaaybe...”

“I don’t have any ideas though. I’ve been trying to think of things he would like to do, what I think a good first date would be, but I’ve been coming up blank. The date is tomorrow and I _still_ can’t seem to think of anything that would fit what Zuko’s ideal first date might be.”

“Picnic,” Senna said nonchalantly.

Sokka stared at her, his jaw ajar. “What?”

“Picnic,” she repeated. “You and Aunt Suki built that ga-zebra thing in the backyard for picnics and stuff, but we never use it.” 

Sokka scooped her up into his arms and kissed her on the top of her head in between words. “You — my darling daughter — are a — _genius_!”

Senna let out a giggly shriek until she was put down. 

“That’s the best idea I’ve ever gotten. A picnic in the gazebo — that’s cute, I bet he’d like it.”

Senna clapped. “Can I help? I know how to make sandwiches.”

“You do, don’t you? Alright, you wanna be my little helper tomorrow and make lunch with me?”

“Yes!” 

“Perfect.” Sokka turned the light off again, and tossed the covers over her head. She giggled when she resurfaced. “Now, sleep.”

“Love you, Daddy.”

Sokka smiled. “Love you too, Princess.”

\---

Zuko really had to stop shaking. He had accidentally worked himself into a frenzy on the drive over to Sokka’s. Now he was just sitting in his car, trying to compose himself before he chickened out and drove off. He’d already circled the block once, he couldn’t do it again.

“Get it together, Zuko,” he grumbled to himself. “You’ve dealt with worse shit than this before breakfast. It’s just a first date.”

The little goblin in his brain told him, _Yeah, but if it goes poorly then Sokka won’t want to talk to you anymore because you were so awkward._

He looked down at his phone. 3:02 PM. Technically late, but not absurdly; still long enough that he had been sitting in his car for the past ten minutes being nervous though.

In his hand, his phone buzzed, and he jumped. He glared at his phone, afraid to check in case it was Sokka asking where he was, before he finally worked up the nerve to look at it.

**_Izumi_ **

_I know you’re nervous, so this is me telling you to suck it up. You’re a total catch, dad, I promise!_

He smiled and looked at himself in the rear view mirror. “Okay. I’m fine. I’m doing this. This is great.”

He got out of the car before he could talk himself out of it. On his walk up the driveway, he couldn’t help but look at it in something akin to awe. Varrick wasn’t lying when he said it was a big house. It was in the countryside, and knowing Sokka’s oddities, he wouldn’t be all too surprised if there was a chicken coop or something equally strange behind the house.

He held his fist up to the door, and knocked before he lost his nerve. He bounced on the balls of his feet, taking a deep breath. 

The door opened and Sokka smiled. “Hey!”

“Hi.” Zuko stopped bouncing. 

“You look really nice,” Sokka said. 

Zuko looked down. He was wearing the outfit Mai picked out with the flannel. It looked like something he would if he went to a concert or a bar, it was nothing special. Still, he blushed anyway. “Thanks... you too.” 

And he did, even if he was just wearing jeans and a sweater. (Which he didn’t expect Sokka to be wearing.) 

“Oh, thanks. Senna helped,” Sokka said. He gestured inside. “Sorry, come on in.”

Zuko stood in the foyer for a minute, looking around at the decor. There was a distinct lack of noise that he had come to associate with Varrick. So when Sokka led him out of the room by his arm, he asked, “Are the kids somewhere else?”

“Yeah, they’re with Suki,” Sokka responded. “Figured maybe bringing my kids to a first date isn’t great, ya know? You see Varrick enough anyway.”

Zuko chuckled, and Sokka stopped when they reached the kitchen table. A picnic basket and a checkered blanket. How very cottage core. 

Sokka smiled. “Ta-da! We’re going on a picnic!” 

A large grin broke across Zuko’s face. “Wow. I don’t think I’ve ever gone on a picnic before actually.”

“That means it’s a good first date, we’re already trying new things together.”

“I guess we are. So where are we going?”

“Backyard. Follow me.”

Sokka led him outside, and Zuko looked at the sky. The sun had gone behind the clouds. They walked through the grass to the far end of the yard, where a white-painted gazebo rested on a small hill. Sokka laid the blanket down on the floor, and gestured towards it with a flourish, saying, “After you, good sir.”

Zuko snorted but still sat down. Sokka followed suit and started going through the picnic basket. He first pulled out a platter of cheese and crackers, a bottle of red wine, and two glasses. Sokka looked towards Zuko curiously. “Is it too early to be having wine? The sun’s still out, it isn’t even dinner yet.”

“Technically, the sun isn’t out, it’s behind those clouds right now.”

“You got me there. Let’s get started then.” He handed the bottle to Zuko to pour the glasses, and Sokka reached back into the basket and pulled out a few plastic containers, opening them one by one. He put the one with grapes by the cheese, as well as the ones with dinner rolls and salads, then he paused. Two containers with a pair of sandwiches that looked quite different. Sokka smiled and reached into the basket, pulling out a note. 

He chuckled and read the note: “Senna wanted to make you guys sandwiches as a surprise, but she ended up putting mayonnaise and mustard on the PB&J’s so I’ve provided a second option in case that isn’t your thing. Love, Suki.” 

Zuko looked at the sandwich that clearly had far too many condiments on it. Makes sense that a kid made it, but he thought it was sweet that instead of correcting her, they just let her get creative with it. He noticed something. “There’s more on the back,” he pointed out.

Sokka turned the note over. “It says ‘good luck.’ Must be from the chef herself.” He folded the note up and tucked it in his pocket carefully. 

“That’s sweet, she wants the date to go well,” Zuko teased.

“Well, she was talking to me about it last night. Apparently Varrick managed to convince her this was the most important event of their lives,” Sokka said with a nervous chuckle.

“Well, Izumi and Mai seem to think this is a big deal for me too,” Zuko responded. “It’s been a while since I’ve been on a date.”

“Mmm,” Sokka mused, taking a bite of one of the sandwiches that Suki made. “I bet I’ve got you beat.” 

Zuko shrugged. “My last date was... six months ago? My last boyfriend and I broke up like four months ago but we hadn’t actually even seen each other for a while before we officially ended it.”

“Eh, I’ve got you beat by a little bit. By like three years or so.”

Zuko’s eyes widened. “But... how?” Zuko gestured towards him with flailing arms. “You look like that and you haven’t dated anyone _at all_?” Zuko flushed when he realized what he said. “That came off stronger than I thought it would.”

Sokka smirked. “I’ll take it as a compliment.”

Zuko looked to change the subject. He looked around him and said, “So, this gazebo, it’s pretty. Did it come with the property?”

“No, I built it with Suki a few years back. After my wife died, she kind of refused to leave me alone and was always suggesting we do crafts and busywork — one of those times she signed us up for woodworking classes. Turns out, I liked them. So, we built this over the course of a year. And I know she was just trying to get my mind off Yue, but, well, it worked.” Sokka paused, then sighed. “Good job, Sokka, talk about the dead wife, a great call.”

“She was your wife,” Zuko said seriously. “You’re allowed to talk to me about her.”

Sokka looked slightly taken aback. “I... yeah. Thanks. I talk about her with the kids and Suki a lot, but I just figured this probably isn’t the place.”

“No offense,” Zuko began hesitantly. “But you talked about her at Aang’s last week, when we kind of decided to infodump on each other. It’s fine, really. You don’t have to pretend she doesn’t exist in an attempt to spare my feelings... it doesn’t hurt my feelings at all.”

Sokka smiled warily. “You’re great, Zuko, you know that?”

Zuko’s cheeks tinged pink and looked down at the food in front of him. “Haha, okay, thanks, um...” Zuko reached down to pick up one of the sandwiches and take a bite.

“Wait — ”

Zuko’s face screwed up the second he started chewing.

“That one’s the mayonnaise sandwich,” Sokka said uselessly as he watched Zuko struggle. 

Zuko slowly opened his mouth and the bite of food rolled off his tongue and fell to a clump in his lap. Zuko was fully aware that definitely wasn’t earning him any points in the attraction department. “That was so gross, I’m sorry, I’ll — ”

Sokka burst into laughter. “You didn’t even realize it until you started chewing! Oh man, that was funny. I won’t tell Senna but... whew, that was a good one.”

Zuko feigned the cold shoulder. “Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t realize my suffering was so enjoyable to you.”

“I didn’t say it was _so_ enjoyable. It was a regular level of enjoyable.”

Zuko smiled lightly. He felt a droplet on his head. Through the wooden ceiling, he saw raindrops landing on it. There were a few slats that didn’t close together properly, and Zuko realized he was sitting right underneath one of those slats when it suddenly started pouring, dousing him.

Sokka laughed but grabbed him by the hand to pull him over to where he was sitting, and he dragged the rest of the picnic blanket over with them. Sokka finished his glass of wine, saying, “I get an extra glass for predicting something like this would happen.”

“What?” Zuko asked, running his fingers through his hair a bit in an attempt to shake out the droplets that had crashed down on him.

“Every first date I’ve had, something I’ve planned didn’t go the way it should have,” Sokka replied, a soft smile on his face as he poured himself another glass. “Figures we should get rained on. Well, I suppose I’m a bit to blame for my shoddy workmanship with the ceiling, but ceilings are _hard_ , and I wasn’t good at it. I never thought I’d be out here in the rain, so we might get a little wet.”

“Oh? Is that why this gazebo has a wall on one side of the hexagon?” Zuko snarked.

“I thought the wall was a nice addition!” Sokka defended. “It was an artistic choice!”

“Of course it was,” Zuko hummed. “Maybe you should have spent more time on the roof and less on the wall that serves no purpose.”

“You’re so bossy,” Sokka mumbled. He perked up immediately like he’d just had a thought. “Oh, wait!”

Sokka started knocking on a few slats of the floor, before he smiled. “Yes! Still here!” He pulled on the board, revealing it wasn’t nailed down, and reached into the small space. He pulled out a knitted blanket from under the board, and replaced the slat once more.

Zuko couldn’t help but stare. “Why do you have that exactly?”

“Gotta be prepared for any scenario,” Sokka said with a shrug. “I keep bug-out bags in every place where I spend a lot of time. In my car, a few places around the house, there’s one at Suki’s, in my office at work, there’s one buried somewhere in the yard at Katara and Aang’s place, but I doubt I’d be able to find that one again — ”

“Pause,” Zuko interrupted. “You keep things in random locations _just in case_?”

“Well, there’s still a backpack in there,” Sokka said, pointing to the loose board. “I’m prepared for anything. House burns down? I’ve got bags with copies of essential documents at the one in the house and the one in Suki’s. Someone tries to kill me, I need to skip the country? No worries, there’s money buried on the property, I can make a quick escape across a border. These backpacks all have food, water purifiers, some emergency clothes, a knife, a thermal tent — ”

Zuko couldn’t help the uproarious laugh he released. “Are you Ron Swanson? All these bags in case you need to escape, money buried on the property? Next thing you’ll tell me is that the money is actually in the form of gold bars.”

Sokka made a face. “Please, Zuko, that would be ridiculous.”

“Do you really think that’s necessary? Having, what, a half dozen bags scattered around the city in case something completely out of the blue happens?” Zuko asked.

Sokka shrugged. “If there’s anything I’ve learned in life, it’s that you need to be prepared for anything and everything. Not having any foresight has bit me in the ass a few times in my life.”

It took Zuko a moment to figure out what he was talking about, until his eyes widened. _Yue._ Right. He stopped laughing.

It’s not like Sokka had been prepared for her to get sick, and now he had forced himself to be physically and mentally ready for everything to go wrong, simply because he refused to be caught so off guard like that again. 

Zuko scooted closer to him a little and touched his hand. “I think it’s a good idea, I didn’t mean to make fun of you. I could do with being more prepared like you are.”

Sokka gave him a little grin. “I know it’s a little weird but... well, it gives me the peace of mind to sleep at night.”

“It’s not that weird,” Zuko said. Sokka took this moment to scoot a bit closer too. He threw the blanket over his legs and Zuko’s, before giving Zuko his glass of wine back and placing some of the food in front of them. 

“Yeah?” Sokka asked.

Zuko rested his hand on top of Sokka’s and Sokka laced their fingers together. “Yeah. There’s nothing wrong with that,” Zuko confirmed.

They talked for hours, until the point that they had finished off most of the bottle, and the food was gone. Sokka turned towards him excitedly as the rain finally began to let up. “This is perfect timing, come on!”

Sokka tugged Zuko by his hand outside of the gazebo as the rain slowed to a stop. Sokka didn’t stop until they were facing the opposite direction, the one that had been blocked by the single wall in the gazebo. 

Sokka looked at the sunset. “It’s gorgeous, isn’t it?”

Zuko squeezed his hand. He examined at how the colors highlighted Sokka’s face. He couldn’t help but smile. “Yeah, it is.”

Sokka’s mouth quirked at the side, before he looked at Zuko. “Don’t stare at me when you say that, it makes me feel like we’re in a terrible romance movie. Also, I’m pretty sure that’s an exact scene from _Tangled_.”

“Huh.” Zuko realized. “I guess it was. I forgot about that movie, Izumi said she was too old for fairytales when she was nine, so I haven’t watched one since.”

“Well, you’d love to hang out with Senna then, she’s very immersed in her Disney phase at the moment. Her favorite is Mulan, because she has good taste.”

Zuko laughed. “So, is this your way of asking me to stick around? Bribing me with your kid and Disney movies?”

“Depends on if it’s working or not,” Sokka said hopefully.

“I wouldn’t say it’s _not_ working,” Zuko answered.

“Good enough for me.” Sokka was quiet for a beat, then squeezed Zuko’s hand tighter, turning his whole body to face him. “Hey, so, completely hypothetical question: what if someone — not me, obviously — wanted to kiss someone else. Do you think that someone should make the first move or are they just pushing their luck?”

Zuko’s mouth felt dry. “Well, in this completely hypothetical situation that has nothing to do with us, currently, right now — ”

“Correct.”

“ — I think that the first someone should probably just do it because that second someone, hypothetically, would definitely want to kiss them too.”

Sokka apparently didn’t need any more prompting, because he let go of Zuko’s hand and grabbed him by both sides of his face, before leaning down and closing the distance, pressing their lips together.

Zuko couldn’t focus on a lot of what was happening, it was hard to focus on one thing. Sokka’s lips, the hand that was cradling his head, the thumb of his other hand that was skirting along the rough outer edge of his scar and touching it gently — it was so much and not enough all at once. 

And then Sokka pulled away, but he still couldn’t focus. Sokka’s hands stayed on his face for a moment, before he dropped them to run down his arms until he reached his hands and held both.

“You know,” Sokka began quietly, looking at the sunset again. “As far as first dates goes, I think this is a pretty damn good one.”

Zuko smiled. “Yeah. I think so too.”

\---

Varrick was peaking out of the window, his arms resting on the window sill. He gasped when he saw his dad lean down to kiss Zuko.

“What? What?” Senna demanded, pulling on his sweatshirt. “I can’t see! Tell me what’s happening!”

“Are you two eavesdropping?” 

Varrick turned quickly to see Suki standing there like she definitely knew what he had just been doing. Varrick had the decency to look a little ashamed. (Not a lot though.)

Suki raised an eyebrow at him. “I thought we were going to watch a movie, have you decided to watch your father instead?”

  
“No, I think the interesting part is over,” Varrick said with a smile. “I can’t wait to tell Tenzin though. He’ll be so jealous when I tell him I’m gonna get _two_ dads.”


End file.
